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College football’s 2024-25 season brought plenty of thrilling moments, but one recurring issue cast a shadow over the year’s excitement — the growing problem of players faking injuries to slow down fast-paced offenses.
The practice became so blatant that broadcast teams started calling it out during games. ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit didn’t mince words during the Oklahoma-Tennessee matchup, describing the tactic as “unethical as hell” despite not technically breaking any rules.
The issue reached a boiling point during a November game when Tennessee’s Omarr Norman-Lott appeared to look toward his sideline before suddenly dropping to the ground. Commentators Chris Fowler and Herbstreit immediately questioned the legitimacy of the injury during the broadcast.
Now the NCAA is finally stepping in to address what’s become college football’s version of soccer’s notorious injury theatrics.
The Athletic’s Chris Vannini reports that the NCAA’s football rules committee will evaluate a new proposal aimed at curbing these tactics. The rule change would require “injured” players to sit out for the remainder of the current drive — unless their head coach uses a timeout to bring them back in. Players hurt by penalty-drawing hits would be exempt from this requirement.
While the proposal seems reasonable at first glance, it could create unintended consequences for teams dealing with legitimate injuries.
Consider a defensive player who briefly goes down with a muscle cramp or minor ankle roll — issues that often resolve quickly but could now force them to miss extended game time during crucial drives.
The stakes become even higher when star players are involved. Coaches might have to choose between risking a touchdown or burning a valuable timeout to get their best defender back on the field.
Despite these potential drawbacks, the proposal represents an important first step toward eliminating what Herbstreit and many others see as an unethical practice that’s becoming far too common in college football. The rules committee will need to carefully balance deterring fake injuries while protecting players with genuine medical issues.
